The International Committee of the Red Cross reports that its offices in Gaza have been destroyed by shelling, which killed 22 Palestinians who took refuge around the facility.
According to an ICRC statement, “heavy-calibre projectiles landed within meters of the International Committee of the Red Cross’s office and residences on Friday afternoon.”
It further stated that in order to protect civilians and humanitarian facilities, all parties had a duty to exercise restraint.
“The strike damaged the structure of the ICRC office, which is surrounded by hundreds of displaced civilians living in tents, including many of our Palestinian colleagues,” the ICRC said.
“This incident caused a mass casualty influx at the nearby Red Cross Field Hospital, with the hospital receiving 22 killed and 45 injured, with reports of additional casualties.”
The ICRC said the “grave security incident” was one of several in recent days.
“We decry these incidents that put the lives of humanitarians and civilians at risk,” the statement added.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza gave different figures, saying 25 people had been killed and 50 injured in the shelling, which it blamed on Israel.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy the Palestinian armed group in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 37,551 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but it has reportedly identified 14,680 children, women, and elderly people among the dead by the end of April.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has issued a warning that the area and beyond could face catastrophic consequences due to the escalating conflicts between Israel and the Islamist movement Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The world could not afford for Lebanon to turn into “another Gaza,” Mr. Guterres said, accusing both sides of using language that was becoming more and more akin to war. He demanded an immediate de-escalation.
Hezbollah and Israel have carried out a number of cross-border retaliatory strikes in recent months. The group, funded by Iran, claims that it is fighting Israel in order to help Hamas, its ally in Gaza.
